Starting Anew
by Rahillion
Summary: Mizuki's secret is finally exposed. Now, kicked out of Osaka, she transfers to a new school. But how will she and and her friends, especially Sano, cope with it?
1. Exposed

**Disclaimer: **As much as I would love it, Hana-Kimi will never belong to me...The manga is as close as I'm gonna be to owning it...

**Summary: **Mizuki's secret is finally exposed. Now, kicked out of Osaka, she transfers to a new school. But how will she and and her friends, especially Sano, cope with it?

**Authors Notes: **I worship Hana-Kimi, and I wanted to write a fic, so here ya go! I only read up to volume 5, so I hope it's enjoyable and not too OOC...

**Starting Anew  
**Chapter 1- Exposed

It started out as any typical day at Osaka high. Everyone got up, did their morning routines, met up for breakfast, and went to class. Yes, everything seemed normal. That is until the voice of the principal rung through the intercom.

"Sorry for the interuption, but will Ashiya Mizuki report to the pricipal's office immediately! Ashiya Mizuki, please report to the pricipal's office immediately!" The principal said, sounding a bit angry.

"You heard him, Mizuki." The teacher said. "Go see what he wants..."

"Okay, sensei." Mizuki replied as she got up, her heart racing with fear.

"Hey, Mizuki!" Nakatsu whispered. "What did you do?"

"No clue." Mizuki replied as she walked past. As she walked out the door, she stole a glance at the class and saw Sano in the back, looking very concerned.

* * *

"Come in!" Replied the voice inside.

"Um, you...Wanted to see me, sir?" Mizuki asked as she peeked into the office.

"Yes, now take a seat." The principal replied. Mizuki did as she was told.

As she sat down, two more people walked in. It was Umeda and another student she had seen before, but never knew.

When Umeda sat down, he looked over at Mizuki and gave her an apologetic look. She wondered why until the principal spoke up.

"Ashiya, I want to know something..." The principal began. "Why on earth would a girl pose as a boy and attend an all boys school for two years?"

Mizuki froze and paled in her spot. _'He...He knows! But how!'_

"Well, Ashiya?" He asked.

"I...I-I..." Mizuki began. "I...I just wanted to...I just wanted to meet Sano...He...He was...Like my hero..."

"Mm-hm..." He replied. "And you, Umeda. Why did you hide her?"

"Well..." Umeda began, trying to think of how to say it. "I...I really don't know why...In two years passing, you can forget alot of things..." The principal just rolled his eyes.

"Well, I have some news for both of you." He replied, looking at Mizuki, who looked like she wanted to cry. "Ashiya, you're being transfered to an all girls academy. As of now, your new school is the Kaishio Private High Girls Academy. I already have an escort comming with a uniform and to take you there, so stay put."

Then he glared at Umeda. "As for you, you're being suspended from your job until further notice, Umeda. No pay, no nothing, for keeping a secret like this." Umeda just looked down. He didn't bother trying to argue with the man. He knew he deserved it, and he was actually lucky. Normally, people would get fired rather than suspension.

"And you, Fujimiya," He said, looking at the boy who walked in with Umeda. "Thank you for comming forward with this secret. Who knows what could've happened if we let this continue?"

"It would bring the school down, and attract all kinds of trash, sir." Fujimiya replied, smirking at Mizuki as he said this.

"Thank you again, Fujimiya." He replied. "You can go back to class now. Umeda, I'll allow you to finish up todays shift, but after that, I don't want to see you here."

"Yes, sir." Umeda said as he bowed and left. He didn't even want to see Mizuki. He knew she was heartbroken.

"As for you, the escort should be here any minute now." The principal said. Mizuki said nothing. He was about to say something else, but there was a knock at the door.

"Come in!" He said, looking from the sulking student to the door.

"Hi, am I interupting anything?" Said a woman with short black hair.

"No, not at all!" He replied. "I'm glad you could make it on short notice, Tachibana-san! Oh, here's the transfer student."

"You must be Ashiya Mizuki!" Tachibana said as she looked down at the sulking Mizuki. Mizuki just looked up at her with teary eyes. _'Oh...Best thing to do right now is give her some alone time...I'll tell her everything in the car...' _

"Here, Mizuki." Tachibana said, handing Mizuki a nicely folded uniform. "Why don't you go up to your room and change and pack? I'll tell you about Kaishio later."

"Okay..." Mizuki replied, taking the clothes and leaving the office as fast as possible.

* * *

_'It's okay...You're just going to check up on him...He didn't show up for the rest of first hour, so something must've happened...But what!'_

"PLEASE SAY IT'S NOTHING TERRIBLE!" Nakatsu shouted as he stood in front of Sano and Mizuki's room.

"The terrible thing is that you're blocking the way into my room." Sano said, shoving Nakatsu out of the way. "Now move or I'll be late for...Class...?" Sano's voice went out on him as the books slipped out of his hand. What he saw inside made his body, and even his heart, stop.

End of chap.1! Short an' crappy, I know, but it's late and I need to sleep. Sorry for any OOC-ness (if any) and I hope you liked! It's my first Hana-Kimi fic, so it might be different.


	2. Leaving You

**Disclaimer: **As much as I would love it, Hana-Kimi will never belong to me...The manga sitting on my shelf is as close as I'm gonna be to owning it...

**Summary: **Mizuki's secret is finally exposed. Now, kicked out of Osaka, she transfers to a new school. But how will she and and her friends, especially Sano, cope with it?

**Authors Notes: **Well, it's finally here! Chapter 2! I think I made you guys wait long enough...A little too long maybe...Well, anyways, here it is, and I hope you like! And thank you for all your good reviews!

**Karen12:** When you asked if St. Blossoms was Mizuki's new school, I had no idea what you meant. But then after getting vol. 6 a few weeks later, I finally got what St. Blossoms was. But no, Mizuki won't be going there, just a randomly made up school my twisted little mind created.

_**Special Treat! For those that are interested, I have a picture of Mizuki in her girls uniform on FAC! Just go to my profile and find the Hana-Kimi fanfic section and click the link under the story info! Enjoy!**_

**Starting Anew  
**Chapter 2- Leaving You

_'It's okay...You're just going to check up on him...He didn't show up for the rest of first hour, so something must've happened...But what!'_

"PLEASE SAY IT'S NOTHING TERRIBLE!" Nakatsu shouted as he stood in front of Sano and Mizuki's room.

"The terrible thing is that you're blocking the way into my room." Sano said, shoving Nakatsu out of the way. "Now move or I'll be late for...Class...?" Sano's voice went out on him as the books slipped out of his hand. What he saw inside made his body, and even his heart, stop.

Because inside the room, he saw Mizuki standing there, holding her suitcase, a small box of her personal items, and the biggest shocker of the scene, her in a girls uniform. She was wearing a navy blue vest with a long white sleeve shirt under it, and a short navy blue skirt, and long darker navy blue socks that ended abover her knees. Maybe if he didn't have a bad feeling about this, and if she wasn't crying, he would've thought she looked cute.

But she didn't look cute. She looked completely heartbroken. And apparently, the sight of Sano and Nakatsu didn't help her situation. She had started sobbing even more when they came in.

Sano and Nakatsu stood there staring at Mizuki like idiots until Sano finally regained his senses.

"Nakatsu, get out, I have to talk to Mizuki!" He said, shoving Nakatsu out and slamming the door in his face. It didn't really affect Nakatsu. He stood out in the hallway in a deep daze, earning strange glances at the passerby's in the hallway.

But in the room, Sano was leaning against the door, hand on the knob as he stared in disbelief at his crying roommate.

"M...Mizuki..." He began. "What? How did...?" He didn't really know what to say. Even if he did, he probably wouldn't know how, in his constant state of surprise.

Mizuki just gripped her items harder as she looked down to the ground and bit her lip to keep from crying even more. She didn't say a word to him. She just shifted her box under the arm which held her suitcase, walked to the door, and tried to move him aside to open it.

"Sano...Please move..." She said, trying to keep her voice still, as she tried to pry Sano's hand off of the door knob, not looking him in the eye. He wouldn't budge, and it made the already frustrated Mizuki even more frustrated. "Sano, please!" She begged, pulling harder at his hand.

"No, not until you tell me what's going on." He calmly responded. She growled in frustration and anger as she tried to pry at his hand again.

"Sano, please!" Mizuki sobbed. She felt so ashamed right now and didn't want Sano of all people to see her. She just wanted to leave. "Just get out of the way!"

"No." Sano replied.

"Sano, just get out of the way!" Mizuki cried, dropping her things and using both of her hands to pry him away. She made little progress.

"No!" He responded. "I'm not letting go of this door until you tell me what happened and why you're in a girls uniform!" He was almost as stubborn as she was.

"Oh, c'mon, Sano!" Mizuki cried, one hand still on his and the other balled up and punding him in the chest, causing him to wince a bit at her hits. Sano had made her loose it. "Just get out of my way! I wanna get out of here! Just move! Move! Move...Please...Just let me go..." She cried as she stopped hitting him in frustration and slid down on her knees. Today was just not her day.

Sano then kneeled down and grabbed the crying Mizuki's shoulders. "Mizuki...?" He asked carefully. "Are you okay?"

"No!" She cried, fiercly wiping her tears away. "You try having your secret exposed, being embarrassed, and being kicked out school 'cause of it! I hate this! Oh, Sano, I'm sorry!"

"Sorry for what?" He asked, feeling helpless as he watched her cry. He didn't really have a clue on how to comfort a crying girl.

"For lying to you these past two years!" She cried, starting to become hysterical again. "You're my best friend and I lied to you! I never told you that I was really a girl! I-!"

"Mizuki, wait a second!" Sano interupted, pulling the frantic Mizuki into his arms, hoping it would calm her down. "Just calm down!" He coaxed. "It's okay!"

"Y-you mean...You're n-not mad?" She stammered, a bit surprised at Sano's actions.

"No." He replied. "Mizuki, I've known that you were a girl for the past two years...Ever since Nakatsu knocked you out playing soccer when you first started here...I found out carrying you to Umeda's office...I didn't say anything because I knew you had your reasons for doing what you did...And I'm glad I didn't..."

"S-Sano..." Mizuki said, her brown eyes tearing up even more. She didn't know what to say. She wanted to bury her face in his chest and hold him like there was no tomorrow, but she knew that if she did, she wouldn't let go. But as much as she hated it, she knew what she really had to do.

* * *

"Nakatsu, what are you doing in front of Sano's room gawking like an idiot?" Principal Sawaguchi asked as he and Tachibana-san walked over to see what was taking Mizuki so long. They didn't really expect to see Nakatsu there, plus a group of onlookers staring at Nakatsu as if he finally lost his mind and was now a complete zombie. "Nakatsu!" He shouted, pushing him off to the side. (A/N: I know nothing of the principal and if he's even mentioned in the manga,let alone a name, so I made one up. Sorry if there's any mistake.)

"Mizuki's really a girl!" He shouted at the sudden act. Then he could hear a bunch of "What!" and "You're kidding!" and "No way!" being said in the hall.

Sawaguchi gave Nakatsu a glare that said 'You-Idiot!'. He then sighed and looked around at the stunned and surprised students in the hallway.

"Um, sir?" Nanba, one of the bystanders, asked. "Ashiya's not really a girl, is he? Nakatsu's just lost his mind, right?" Sure Mizuki looked kind of like a girl to him, but this was an all boy school. How could a girl get in unoticed?

"Unfortunately, Nakatsu is right." Sawaguchi stated, earing gasps from the students in the hallway. "Ashiya is in fact a girl."

"But that's impossible!" Nanba replied. "How could we not notice that Mizuki's a girl!"

"Maybe you would notice if you didn't spend all your time failing your classes, Nanba." He replied dryly. Nanba winced a bit because it was true. He had failed his classes and was now repeating his last year. (A/N: Did it cause I wanted Nanba in the story.)

"But how could a girl get past without us knowing!"

"And for two years!"

"There's no way!" Came the additions of random students crowded around the dorm.

"Well, it happened!" Sawaguchi announced, starting to lose his temper, and turning towards the door. "And for that, I've transfered her out of this school and into one she actually belongs in! That's why I'm standing in front of this door! Now, I want you all to get to class! Now! Or I'll suspend you all!"

All the students stiffened and paled at his tantrum blow. "Yes, sir!" They replied and ran off to class. In very rare cases was their principal beggining to blow a fuse, but when it happened, they knew when to leave.

"I think you were just a bit hard on them..." Tachibana said, watching them leave. "I know you're angry, but you can't take it out on the students like that."

"I know..." He replied, gripping the handle of the door. "I just want this over with is all..." And so, he opened the door, revealing Sano and Mizuki sitting on the floor in front of the door. "What is going on here?"

Both Sano and Mizuki looked up in surprise, but Sano's expression quickly changed to a snarl while Mizuki's went to a tearfull frown.

"I'm trying to comfort my friend, you got a problem with that?" Sano snapped giving him a nastly glare while he wrapped a protective arm around Mizuki.

"Well, Sano, looks like you have to cut it short." Sawaguchi replied, looking at the sobbing girl. "It's time Ashiya leaves."

"No!" Mizuki cried, looking up at him, her teary brown eyes begging him to let her stay.

"You're no longer a student at this school, Ashiya." He said sternly. "Now here, Sano and I will help you with your things." He then walked over, taking her suitcase and handing Sano the box. "Get up and let's go!"

Mizuki looked up, painful shock and sadness lining her tearstained face. _'B-but...I don't want to leave...!'_

"Here, Mizuki..." Sano said, standing up with his hand extended towards her. Mizuki looked up at him with slight surprise. She didn't even notice him get up. She took his hand and got up, not even mumbling a 'thanks'. "Let's go..." He said reluctantly, not letting go of her small hand.

"Well, if you follow me, I'll show you where my car is." Tachibana said, being the first one out the door. Next was Sano and Mizuki, Sano glaring at his principal, who followed after.

The walk through the hallway seemed like an eternity. Plus, it was too quiet and too empty. But only Sano noticed this. The principals probably didn't care, and Mizuki was probably too deep into her own depression to even feel Sano's hand grip her's tighter.

_'I hate that principal!'_ Sano thought, mentally raging. _'This isn't fair! She's been here two years! This is our last year and it's over in six months! She's been no problem! She hasn't been! So why can't she stay? This isn't fair! I don't want her to leave! I want her to stay...I want her to stay by my side...'_

Sano's thoughts were cut off when the bright light from the open door caught his eyes. And when he bumbed into Tachibana.

"Oh, my..." She said, eyes wide at what she saw outside. Sano gave a questioning look before focusing his gaze outside.

"Woah..." He said, eyes widened at the sight before him. Even Mizuki, who had vaugely heard the sounds of surprise looked up. Her tear-soaked eyes widened as she let out an audiable gasp.

"Mizuki!" Nakatsu said, looking sad and standing in front of a quater of the school's population, many of them her friends. "We came to see you off!"

"Nakatsu..." She whispered, giving a sad smile. As much as she appreciated what he was doing for her, she didn't want it to happen. She didn't want to leave Osaka behind. And she didn't want to leave Sano behind. But some things were just beyond control, and sadly, this was one of them.

"Well, we better get going." Tachiban said, looking back at everyone. "Ashiya-san?" Mizuki didn't look up. She just kept her eyes on the group ahead of her.

"Can I...At least say 'goodbye' to them?" She shakily asked.

"I'm sorry, dear, but we're on a tight schedule..." Tachibana replied. "I have to get back to the school...I have alot to do." Mizuki lowered her head down in sorrow even more. First she's been found out and kicked out of school, now she can't say 'goodbye' to her friends? The phrase 'bad day' was beyond understatment now. "You can always come back and visit them, Ashiya-san." She said, smiling at Mizuki, who was bitting her lip to refrain from publicly crying. "Now, let's go, you've got a busy day ahead of you." So, Tachibana walked ahead, Sano reluctantly dragging his feet to follow, hand in hand with Mizuki, dragging her feet along also.

As they walked, Mizuki and Sano could hear thing's like "Goodbye, Mizuki!" and "I'll miss you, Ashiya!" and alot of "Don't leave us!". And to her great surprise, Umeda was there also. He had apologized and wished her luck in her new school, and apologized some more. Mizuki on the other hand couldn't say anything. She was in a void of shock, sorrow, and deppression. It was when she heard the slam of a car door that she was aware of what was going on. She started to feel as if there was a lead weight in her stomach.

"Well, Ashiya, I hope you do well in your new school." Sawaguchi said, that stern and angry look still plastered on his face. "Tachibana-san, she's all yours."

"Well, thank you, Sawaguchi-san." She smiled. "Now let's get going, Ashiya-san."

Mizuki looked up with sad puppy dog eyes, then to Sano. Everyone else was easy to walk past, but Sano. This was different. Just the thought of leaving him made her feel empty inside. But now she was leaving him for real, and it hurt worse than any empty feeling. It was like her heart was being crushed and left to suffer without any help. "S-Sano...I..." She didn't need to say anymore.

She had let go of Sano's hand and wrapped her arms around his neck, crying into his chest as she did. Sano didn't hesitate to return the hug. He had wrapped his arms tightly around Mizuki's body, almost as if he'd never let her go. Right now, he could care less if he was seen doing this or not.

"S-Sano..." Mizuki cried, clutching him tighter. "I-I don't want to go! I wanna stay here with you!"

"I wanna stay with you too, Mizuki..." Sano said, not loosening his hold on the scrawny girl. "But if you stay, you're only gonna get in trouble...And I don't want that..."

"B-But, Sano...!" She protested, but stopped when he put a finger on her lips to quiet her.

"I'll come visit you, Mizuki, I promise..." He whispered, his dark eyes sparkling warmly at her. She had no idea how much this hurt him too, but he did his best to keep his cool. "You have my word."

"Would you two hurry up?" Sawaguchi interrupted. "I'm very busy I have you know!"

Sano just gave him a deadly glare, then led Mizuki to the car, only to shut him up. He opened the door for her and sat her down, and shut the door.

"Sano!" Mizuki said, grabbing his hand through the open window. Sano looked at her and tightened his grip with her hand. Mizuki was at a loss for words. Even if she had something to say, she couldn't. She was lost.

"Buckle up, Ashiya-san." Tachibana said, changing gears on the car. Both Mizuki and Sano did't even notice her get in. As her foot let go of the brake, she waved goodbye to everyone standing outside.

And as she pulled away, Mizuki's small hand had slipped out of Sano's warm one.

End of chap.2! Well, there you have it. Finally. And I'm sorry for the long update and the condition of this chapter. Life dealt me a very bad and and isn't over yet. So, yeah, 'til next chapter. Whenever that is...


	3. Broken Hearts And Friendships

**Disclaimer: **As much as I would love it, Hana-Kimi will never belong to me...The manga sitting on my shelf is as close as I'm ever gonna be to owning it...

**Summary: **Mizuki's secret is finally exposed. Now, kicked out of Osaka, she transfers to a new school. But how will she and and her friends, especially Sano, cope with it?

**Authors Notes: **Hey, what's up everyone?! I'm back!! And with new chapters!!)does a happy dance( First off, thank you so much for all your reviews and words of kindness! They totally motivated me! I'm so very sorry it took me so long to do this chapter!!)dodges knives and other sharp pointy objects being thrown( Secondly, I'll shut up so you can get to what you've been waiting (what, a year?) for!!

**Starting Anew  
**Chapter 3- Broken Hearts And Friendships

"Sano!" Mizuki said, grabbing his hand through the open window. Sano looked at her and tightened his grip with her hand. Mizuki was at a loss for words. Even if she had something to say, she couldn't. She was lost.

"Buckle up, Ashiya-chan." Tachibana said, changing gears on the car. Both Mizuki and Sano did't even notice her get in. As her foot let go of the brake, she waved goodbye to everyone standing outside.

And as she pulled away, Mizuki's small hand had slipped out of Sano's warm one.

As Sano watched the car Mizuki was in grow smaller in the distance, he felt his world grow cold.

"Mizuki..."

* * *

_'Sano...How did this happen?'_ Mizuki thought as she watched him from the sideview mirror on the car. "It wasn't suppossed to be like this..." She whispered. 

"What, Ashiya-chan?" Tachibana asked, her eyes moving towards the depressed seventeen year old.

"Nothing..." She replied lifelessy. Tachibana wasn't too convinced, but didn't want to pour salt in Mizuki's wounds, so she left it alone.

"Well, we're almost there, Ashiya-chan." She smiled, trying to cheer her up. "It's a beautiful school, you'll love it there. It has sports, and I heard you love sports. How does that sound?"

"Yeah..." Mizuki said, looking out her window, not even listening. Tachibana sadly sighed.

* * *

The population of boys that came to see Mizuki off was still standing in their spots, talking about her and the good times, not caring that she was a girl. Everyone was sad. Nakatsu, Sekime, Nakao, Kayashima, and especially Sano. He stood rooted to the ground away from the giant crowd. He didn't want to be around them. The way they were talking about Mizuki, it sounded like she had died rather than gone to a new school. He didn't want any part of it. He lost the most important person he had and wanted to be alone. 

And even Nakatsu felt like that. He loved Mizuki just like Sano did, and the realization that she was gone hit him hard. He didn't know what to do. And he had alot to think about.

"Alright, that's it!" Their principal shouted, making most of them jump in fright. "Show's over!! Get back to class!!" None of them moved. "NOW!!" He screamed. And that seemed to work. The large group scattered to their places, Nakatsu being the last of the group, and Sano, still glued to his spot. Even though he was in a daze, he seemed to feel everyone around him slowly disperse.

The principal glared at Sano's back. "Sano Izumi, get to class right now." He said, his voice seemingly filled with hate and malice. Sano heard him, but stood right where he was.

"Why didn't you just let her stay?" Sano asked, his voice filled with sadness as he looked down at the hand that held Mizuki's.

"Because she's a girl." He hatefully replied. "She doesn't belong here."

"It's our last year." Sano replied, his grip getting tighter.

"It doesn't matter." Sawaguchi said. "If word got out she scammed her way in, trash like her would show up by the thousands, and-"

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT!!" Sano fumed, turning around and grabbing him by the collar, getting ready to kill him. "Never call Mizuki that in front of me again!" He hissed, his dark eyes coldly glaring into his principals.

"Sano, get your hands off of me!" Sawaguchi ordered, shoving the angry teen away. "Do that again, and I'll expell you! Ashiya Mizuki is gone and that's it!! It's out of my hands!! Get over it!" And he turned towards the building and walked away, leaving Sano completely enraged.

"I'm going to discuss your actions with your coach." He said, opening the door, not even bothering to look back. "Don't be surprised if you don't compete in the high jump for a while." And he walked through the door, leaving Sano to himself.

He stood there shaking with rage. All of a sudden he screamed, then punched the wall with all the power in his body. He wasn't angry at the fact that he couldn't jump, he was angry about the horrible things his principal said about Mizuki, and the fact that she wouldn't be there when he came home every night. It wasn't right anymore.

"Mizuki..." He whispered as he whinced and felt the searing pain in his hand as he pulled back, blood dripping as it rest by his side.

* * *

After four hours of nothing but tours, finding classes, and calming down a bit, Mizuki was finally able to go to her new dorm room. All she wanted to do right now was bury herself in a bed and hope she would wake up from this nightmare. 

"Okay, Ashiya-chan, here's your room." Tachibana said as she, Mizuki, and a blonde girl stopped in front of a room labeled 307. "And this is your R.A. for dorm 3, Takashiro Miyami."

"Hi! " She smiled, her brown eyes glittering as she reached out to shake Mizuki's hand. "Welcome to Kaishio Academy! I'm sure you'll love it here! If you ever need anything, just ask, okay?"

"Yeah, thanks..." Mizuki said, shaking her hand. She then grew sad. Miyami's long blonde hair reminded her of Himejima. And even though he was truly annoying, Mizuki actually missed him a little.

"Well, we'll let you get settled in, Ashiya-chan." Tachibana said. "Have a nice night." And she and Miyami left, leaving Mizuki alone.

Mizuki looked at the door for a minute before gathering up the courage to go in and meet her new roommate. "Here goes..." She sighed as she grabbed the knob and opened the door.

Inside revealed a large room with big windows and fancy curtains to go with them. Two beds and desks on either side of the room, and black haired girl sitting on one of the beds. She heard the door open and looked over. After a second, she broke out into a friendly smile. "Hey there! You wan't some help with those?" She kindly asked as she got up to help Mizuki. That made Mizuki feel a little bit better.

"Uhm, no, I'm fine." Mizuki replied, walking in and shutting the door.

"You sure?" The other girl asked. "It looks heavy..."

"Yeah, I'm sure..." She replied.

"Oh yeah! I'm Makane Riko." She introduced herself. "And you are...?"

Mizuki gasped. "Oh, right, sorry!" She said. "Ashiya Mizuki. Nice to meet you Makane-san." Mizuki said, trying her best to smile.

"Oh, you can just call me 'Riko'" Riko said, her green eyes shimmering with kindness. "I hate that ''san'' stuff."

"Okay then, Riko." Mizuki replied, unzipping her suitcase to put all her clothes away. "Uhm...Riko, which...?"

"Here, I'll show you which one's yours." Riko replied, helping Mizuki take her clothes to the dresser on the other side of the room. She opened the drawer and put the clothes in, noticing Mizuki had alot of boyish clothing. "Hey, you sure got alot of-!" She stopped when she heard a sniffle and saw Mizuki shaking. "Hey, Mizuki, what's wrong?" She looked over Mizuki's shoulder and saw a picture of her and a dark haired and eyed boy along with a few others in front of Osaka high. And Riko couldn't help but notice that. "Hey, Mizuki, that one there looks just like you! But, that's impossible, Osaka's an all boys school..."

"That's because it is me..." Mizuki cried, dropping to her knees.

Riko freaked out for a second, from both Mizuki's outburst of tears and the picture revealing what she said to be her former school. "Mizuki...!" She kneeled down to comfort the girl.

* * *

**-Three Days Later-**

Sano sat alone on the ground, leaning against his bed, and bandanging up his purple and swollen hand yet again. He looked at the clock and realized it was dinner time. But it didn't matter, he wasn't hungry.

_'It's so lonely without you, Mizuki...'_ He thought as he gazed up at the ceiling, his mind drifting elsewhere. Everything was just so depressing lately.

But a knock on the door broke it. He looked over and Nakatsu peeked his head in.

"Hey, Sano..." He said. "Can I come in?"

"I don't care..." Sano replied, turning away and looking back up at the ceiling again. Nakatsu shut the door behind him and sat down in front his friend.

"Look, Izumi..." He began, looking around like he didn't really know how say what he was trying to say. "I'm not gonna play around-!"

"Good, I'd rather you not..." Sano replied, still staring at the ceiling.

"Okay then..." Nakatsu replied. "I know I've asked you this before, but with what happened with Mizuki the other day, I have to ask you again: How do you really feel about Mizuki?"

Sano didn't hesitate. "She's the most important person in my life." He said, looking at Nakatsu. "I want her by my side forever, and I'll get her back somehow."

"So you love her?" He asked.

"Absolutely." Sano replied, looking staight into his friends eyes.

"Then we can't be friends anymore..." Nakatsu said, looking completely serious.

"What?" Sano asked. Of all the things he thought Nakatsu would say, that definentely wasn't one of them. "Nakatsu, don't you dare turn this into a game! Mizuki is not a prize for you to earn!!"

"I'm not playing, Sano." He replied, getting up and looking down at Sano. " And I'd never treat her like that. I love Mizuki just as much as you do, even when I thought she was a guy. And I want her to love me the way I love her. That makes us rivals, right? And I'm not giving up until I can have her in my arms."

Sano stood up and stared at him for what seemed like an eternity. "You truly are an idiot, Nakatsu. But you're right...And I won't give up. Not until I have Mizuki. Even if you're in my way..."

"Then it was nice knowin' you, Sano Izumi." He grinned, accepting Sano's words.

"Same here, Nakatsu Shuuichi." He replied. They shook hands to seal their pact, and end their friendship.

_'I won't give up...'_ They both thought, staring into the others eyes. _'Not until I can have you in my arms, Mizuki...'_

VvVvVvVvVvV

End of chap. 3! How does everything work out between former best friends/ rivals for Mizuki's love, and, what happens when Mizuki suddenly shows up? Find out in chapter 4!!

Oh yeah, sorry for the wierdness by the way. It's supposed to get more light-hearted and humorous along the way. You know, with the Sano/Nakatsu rival type thing...


End file.
